She put her hand suddenly on his lips and sat upright.

There was a feeble coughing, a rustle of leaves, and then a complete silence took possession of the land; a silence cold, mournful, profound; more like death than peace; more hard to bear than the fiercest tumult.

As soon as she removed her hand he hastened to speak, so insupportable to him was that stillness perfect and absolute in which his thoughts seemed to ring with the loudness of shouts.
"Who was there making that noise ?" he asked.
"I do not know.

He is gone now," she answered, hastily.

"Tell me, you will not return to your people; not without me.